Written answers

Thursday, 10 October 2024

Department of Rural and Community Development

Rural Schemes

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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317. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she expects to announce successful applicants for Cork county under the community centres investment fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40668/24]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties.

In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further round of funding to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres.

The scheme closed for applications on Thursday 5th September. I understand that approximately 130 applications were received for Co. Cork under CCIF 2024. All applications are now currently under assessment. I expect to start announcing the successful applicants in the coming months.

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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318. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce successful projects under the CLÁR programme in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40675/24]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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319. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce successful projects under the CLÁR programme in County Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40676/24]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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320. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce successful projects under the CLÁR programme in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40677/24]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 318, 319 and 320 together.

My Department's CLÁR scheme is a targeted investment programme that provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in rural areas that experience disadvantage and significant levels of de-population.

The 2024 CLÁR programme was launched on the 12th April last. The measures being funded under CLÁR 2024 are:

Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities & Amenities (funding up to €50,000).

Measure 2: Mobility, Cancer Care, First Responder and Meals on Wheels Transport (funding up to €100,000).

Measure 3: Our Islands (funding up to €120,000).

On 13 September 2024 I announced funding of over €2.1 million in respect of CLÁR measure 2 for 48 projects including over €101,000 for 2 vehicles for Donegal and over €46,000 for 2 vehicles in Sligo.

Earlier this week I was pleased to announce funding of over €11.4 million for 264 projects under CLÁR measure 1 to develop community facilities and amenities across the country. This included 15 projects in Donegal worth €750,000, 15 projects in Sligo worth over € 572,000 and 14 projects in Leitrim worth over €615,000.

Details of all projects can found on my Department's website.

Successful projects include supports for a vast array of projects which will benefit people of all ages and abilities such as astro-turf pitches, playgrounds, sensory gardens, walking tracks, community gyms wheelchair accessible transport and meals on wheels vehicles.

My officials are currently assessing all applications under measure 3 of the CLÁR programme and I look forward to announcing the successful project in the coming weeks.

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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321. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce successful projects under the community centres investment fund in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40678/24]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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322. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce successful projects under the community centres investment fund in County Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40679/24]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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323. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce successful projects under the community centres investment fund in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40680/24]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 321, 322 and 323 together.

Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, funding of €30 million was approved for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties.

In June this year, Minister Humphreys was delighted to announce a further round of funding to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres.

The scheme closed for applications on Thursday 5th September. I understand that over 20 applications were received for Co. Leitrim, over 51 for Co. Donegal and over 30 for Co. Sligo. All applications are now currently under assessment with a view to announcing the successful applicants in the coming months.

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